The globe had its seventh-warmest January on record since 1850, according to NOAA data released Tuesday, Andrew writes.
Why it matters: The warmer-than-average January comes despite the continued cooling influence of a waning La Niña event in the tropical Pacific, demonstrating the powerful role played by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
Zoom in: NOAA found that with the third-lowest Arctic sea ice extent in January and the lowest Antarctic sea ice extent for the month, global sea ice coverage hit a record low.
- January beat the old record set in Jan. 2017 by 150,000 square miles.
- This difference is equivalent to a missing chunk of ice about the size of Montana.
Of note: This was the first global monthly report with NOAA’s refined data set that goes back 30 more years, and includes much of the Arctic for the first time.